John (Becket) Beckett (abt. 1814 - 1872)

Born about 1814 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Catharine (Reynolds) Riley — married 1 Aug 1837 (to before 1843) in St Matthew's Church of England, Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 28 Aug 1872 at about age 58 in Tartulla Station via Surat, Queensland, Australia

John (Becket) Beckett was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

Biography

John was the son of John W and Rebecca.

He was convicted at Buckinghamshire Assizes on 28 February 1826 and sentenced to transportation to New South Wales for 7 years.^[1]

In 1837, at around age 23, John married 16-year-old Catharine Reynolds^[2]. They had two sons, John and William, born around 1838 and 1840 respectively.

Around 1839-1840, John Riley (1822-1907) moved with his father to Wollombi (him at the age of 17-18) and is understood to have began a relationship with Catherine culminating in her leaving John.^[3] By some accounts, Catherine left John Beckett when their youngest son was around 7 months old, and this would place their separation in mid-1841.

In 1856 John and his son William were charged with cattle theft. John was found guilty and sentenced to 3 years hard labour in Darlinghurst gaol, while William was found not guilty.^[4]

Some time after completing his sentence, John went north and took his two sons with him. They built Wycombe Homestead near Surat. He is listed in the book “The Changing years” for his craftsmanship and is especially famous for the Wycombe table he built. I have attached detailed info of this.

John owned Wycombe Homestead and the district was named after him as he came from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire England.^[5]

John Beckett died 28th Aug 1872 on “Tartulla Station” but is buried at Morocco next to one of his young grandsons who died from drowning in the floods of 1870 and another friend beside them.

Sources

1. ↑ Claim a Convict website: John Becket (arrived 1829)
2. ↑ NSW BDM marriage NSW BDM marriage index 1638/1837 V18371638 21
3. ↑ Gosper, Dennis Bruce, The Pragmatic Pioneers, Dennis B Gosper, Parramatta, 1991, p.23
4. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Wed 8 Oct 1856 Page 5
5. ↑ Queensland Government, Environment, land and water, place names: Wycombe - Locality Bounded

• NSW BDM marriage NSW BDM marriage index 1638/1837 V18371638 21
• QLD BDM death in 1872 reg. no. C1109 in the name John Beckett, showing father John William Beckett and mother unknown
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 October 2018), memorial page for John Beckett (1814–28 Aug 1872), Find A Grave Memorial no. 192062146, ; Maintained by Cynthia Egan (contributor 48690599) Non-Cemetery Burial, who reports a Non-Cemetery Burial, Specifically: Buried at Family property "Morocco" Homestead, Surat Queensland Find A Grave: Memorial #192062146
• Children's birth records
• Gosper, Dennis Bruce, The Pragmatic Pioneers, Dennis B Gosper, Parramatta, 1991, p.23